


In Permanent Winter

by Odd_ysseus



Category: Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: Genderbending, M/M, Male Bella, Other Additional Tags to Be Added, Tags Are Hard
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-09-12
Updated: 2017-08-19
Packaged: 2018-08-14 15:08:57
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 5
Words: 8,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8018776
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Odd_ysseus/pseuds/Odd_ysseus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>After leaving Forks, the Cullens are spending their summer with the Denalis before starting another life at a new place.  While they're there, they come across a small coven of (relatively) young vampires.  The leader, Beau, is an enigma that Edward (along with the Denali sisters) finds extremely interesting.  The sisters because of his good looks and unusual grace and Edward because of the challenge he and his silent mind presents.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: As We Lay Dying

~0 Beaufort Swan (September 13, 1965 – July 7, 1984) 0~

            Beaufort Swan was dying

            He coughed into his fist.  When he pulled his hand away, it was speckled with blood.  Some people looked at him sideways on the subway.  Whether it was the coughing or that many of them had already noticed the lesions on his face Beau didn’t know or care.  The looks ranged from pitying to distasteful.

            He resisted scratching at the lesions that now covered his body.  The doctor told Beau that he would be lucky to see his next birthday.

            The train slowed to a stop and Beau hurried to get off.  Everybody let him off first, giving him a wide berth.

            The crowd parted to let him through, none of them willing to be near him.  None of them wanted to touch him.  In a way, it was a convenience; he was able to avoid violence if not the insults hurled his way.  He walked onto the cold, empty street.  He was not as careful as he should be – what would it matter if he was murdered, if he was not long for this world anyway?  With that thought in mind, he took a shortcut off the main street and into an alley.  It would get him to his mother’s apartment quicker or get him murdered.  Beau almost wish he would be murdered, if only to avoid seeing Renée’s forced smile and glistening eyes.

            “Well aren’t you a little sad sack?” trilled a voice like bells.

            He swung around swiftly, and took a step back at the form that greeted him.  She was by far the most beautiful woman Beau had ever seen.  Her skin was clear and white like porcelain and her long red curls fell nearly to her waist.  The way she looked at Beau – friendly but a little too sharp, a little hungry – made him feel like prey, and he had an odd urge to run.  Something else, some deeply embedded instinct told him that it would be no use.

            “You’d be sad too if you were like me, ma’am,” Beau said, his voice trembling.

            The woman hummed uncaringly. “I guess I would be.” She sighed musically, “it does seem like a lot to waste, though.” She looked him over appraisingly.  Beau shrunk slightly under her searching gaze.

            “I agree,” Beau said. “But unless you happen to be carrying a cure on you…“

            “And if I was?” she said knowingly.

            Beau snorted, wondering what she was playing at. “Then I’d ask you to stop being so greedy and share it around.  A lot of people – good people – are dying and nobody seems able or willing to help them.”

            She smiled wider, her straight, white teeth gleaming in the relative darkness of the alley.  Beau took an unconscious step back, and she took two steps closer.

            “I’m afraid this cure is not the kind that can be given to everybody,” she said, taking a few steps closer. “But for a spectacular young man like you, I think I can make an exception.”

            Beau opened his mouth to respond but then the woman was directly in front of him.  Beau jerked his head back, his heart thundering wildly.  Now that the woman was so close, he could see her eyes, formerly obscured in the darkness.

            They were bright, burning red.

~0 Bree Tanner (March 11, 1990 – October 7, 2005) 0~

            Bree Tanner was dying.

            She could feel her own blood pooling around her, but was numb to everything else.  The only other thing that registered was the sound of her father shoveling.  It occurred to Bree that her father may not even be aware that she was still alive.  It wasn’t as if it mattered.  She was too broken to fight or flee, and could feel the life seeping out of her anyway.  She gave into the impulse to close her eyes, the sound of digging soothing her.

            She was jerked back to awareness by a sharp exclamation from her father.  Whatever he was trying to say was cut off with a sharp _crack_.  Her eyes popped open but she could not find the strength or the willpower to turn her head to see what was happening.  She heard harsh gasping, as if someone was struggling to breath.  There was another sound, a crushing sound, and then silence.

            Bree stared up at the sky, the silence enveloping her.  Just as her vision started to blur, a face appeared, gazing down at her.  Bree’s fear was immediately overcome by relief.  A face this beautiful could only belong to an angel, which surely meant that she was being taken to heaven.  What she didn’t understand was why the angel looked so sad.  Was it sad because she was dying so young?

            “I’m so sorry,” the angel said.  His smooth, musical voice automatically soothed her.

            Bree wondered why the angel was apologizing.  None of this was his fault, after all.  She wished she could summon the strength to speak to the angel, to tell him that it was okay.  The thought exited her mind because the next second she was flying.  She felt cold arms support her and the cold wind whip her face.

            _This is it_ , she thought, _I’m going to heaven._

            But when the wind calmed they were in the dark.  As the angel laid her down a cloud of dust was disturbed, clouding around her.

            “I’m so sorry,” the angel repeated in a sob, even though no tears fell from his golden eyes.

            Momentarily, Bree wondered again why the angel was apologizing.  Before she could think about it long, there was a burning sensation over her heart.  For a few moments Bree was confused by it, until it intensified and Bree realized why the angel was apologizing.

            He hadn’t come to take her to Heaven.

            He had come to take her to Hell.

~0 Diego Garcia (November 17, 1989 – July 15, 2006) 0~

            Diego Garcia was dying.

            He was bleeding on the pavement of the alley.  The raucous laughter of the other boys around him made his blood boil.  He tried to stand up but was hit with a bout of dizziness – a concussion surely – that brought him back down to the ground.  There was no point anyway, his gun was long gone and the boys were well armed.

            He wasn’t able to concentrate on any of the words the boys were saying, but the next thing he knew he was being yanked up by his hair.  He looked up groggily, the gun pointed right between his eyes.  He crossed his eyes in an attempt to focus on the weapon in front of him.

            “Ready to die, _puta_?” sneered Moses.

            Diego spit in response, the mixture of saliva and blood hitting the older boy’s shoes.  Moses snarled and his finger tensed on the trigger.  Diego’s courage failed him, and he closed his eyes to wait for the blast.

            It didn’t come.  Instead there was a mix of shouts of surprise followed by screams of terror.  The grip on his hair left and Diego slumped to the ground.  The screams continued for a moment, mixed with breaking and crushing sounds, followed by silence.

            Trembling, Diego opened his eyes.  Upon doing so, he realized it was only a dream.

            A little angel stared down at him.  Her face was beautiful and pale, framed by dark hair that reached her chin.  Once he had gotten past the initial dazzling effect of her beauty, he saw that her face was strained and she appeared to be holding her breath.  She stared at him with burning amber eyes.

            “Beautiful,” he said breathlessly.  Then the heavy feeling won and Diego fell unconscious.

            The next thing he was aware of was the sound of arguing.  There was a voice, undeniably a male but smoother than any man’s voice Diego had ever heard.  The other voice was clearly female, sounding like a peel of bells despite how distressed it was.  As Diego became more lucid, he began to make out what the voices were saying.

            “You don’t even know him, Bree!” scolded the male voice.  This was followed by a pronounced silence from the female voice.

            “Actually…” said the female hesitantly.

            “ _Actually_?” hissed the male suspiciously.

            The next words were so quick that Diego was unable to follow.  This went on for about thirty seconds before trailing off.  There was a pronounced, heavy silence.

            “That doesn’t change the fact that he doesn’t know you.  What if he doesn’t feel the same?” said the male in a softer voice.

            There was no answer from the female.  Diego wished he could summon the strength to open his eyes and see her expression, or to see the male’s.  The silence went on for an oppressive minute until the male let out a defeated sigh.

            “Fine,” he spat, “but don’t cry to me if things don’t turn out the way you want.”


	2. Like Us

~0 August 13, 2006 0~

            Alaska really was beautiful in the summer.  Everything was so green and alive.  Edward sat on the roof on the Denali’s home, where the Cullen family was spending the summer.  Edward and Alice had graduated from High School once again, adding another graduation cap and another diploma to their extensive collections.  Frankly, the monotony was beginning to get to Edward, the High School experience rarely offering anything new.  Maybe for the next town, Edward would suggest being homeschooled.

            _Still brooding, Edward?_

The thought only stuck out because it was addressed to him.  Edward had been softly ignoring the drone of thought coming from the house.  It was nowhere near as bad as the crowds of high school or downtown, but the mental voices of eleven vampires were a task to ignore.  After so many years, however, Edward was getting better and better at it.

            There was a soft whisper of footsteps followed by the sound of rushing air as Tanya leapt up to join him.  She fell into Indian style beside him.

            “I’m not brooding,” Edward said without heat.

            “Of course not,” said Tanya. Her thoughts teasingly contradicting her words.

            Edward continued to stare at the stars, not particularly inclined to answer her back.  He knew it was rude, but Edward knew it would be better to not encourage Tanya.  Her light hearted pursuit of him had not wavered since they met, even though he had gently told her that he did not return her attraction.

            It was not as if Tanya necessarily wanted him as a potential mate so much as a potential bed partner.  However, Edward was a romantic at heart and not the casual type at all.

            His attention was caught by Esme, who was listening into their conversation hopefully.  He knew how concerned she was that he was unmatched, and greatly hoped he would find a partner among the Denalis.  This hope was met with the fear that Edward would choose to stay with the Denali coven permanently, and they would be separated.  After all, both covens were already unnaturally large; combining their numbers would draw too much attention.

            Edward did his very best to not intrude on Tanya’s thoughts, especially as her eyes roved down his body.  He tuned her out by turning his attention to the voices inside the house.  Alice, who might have provided a decent distraction, was gone on a walk with Jasper.  Carmen and Eleazar had left for a hunting trip, so they were not a possibility.  Rosalie and Emmett could not entertain him for long, and Kate was just as crude as her sister.  He turned his attention to Esme and Carlisle, who were engaged in a game of chess.  He found the tinge of hope in Esme’s mind, so instead he turned his attention to Carlisle.  He was relieved to find his de-facto father’s mind determinately engaged in the game.  Edward busied his mind planning what strategy he would use were he in Carlisle’s place.

            He sat in a slightly uncomfortable silence with Tanya.  She seemed to understand that Edward did not welcome her flirting, but instead took the chance to look him over.  Edward was considering how he could possibly escape into the woods alone when Carlisle’s phone rang.

            _It’s Alice._

“Hello, Alice,” said Carlisle, slight lilt of curiosity in his voice.

            _“Hello, Carlisle,”_ said Alice over the phone.  Edward noted that she sounded even cheerier than usual. _“I’m just calling to tell you two things – one, Jasper and I have decided to take a small trip together for the next two weeks.”_

“Are you sure that’s wise, Alice?” asked Carlisle, concerned. “After all, James and Victoria are still out there…”

            James and Victoria were a pair of nomadic vampires who the Cullens had come across during their prior residence in Forks.  When they had met, James had recognized Alice as prey that had escaped him years before.  Now that he had found her, he planned to finish the job.  The Cullens knew James was waiting for his opportunity to strike.  They had been told about all of this by Laurent, who had been a part of James’ coven but had defected when he sensed he was on the wrong side.  Said vampire was now on a hunting trip with Irina, with whom he shared a flirtation and who was trying to convert him to the “vegetarian” lifestyle.

            _“I promise you, Carlisle, that I see no danger in this trip.  I would also like to remind you that me and Jasper are perfectly capable of taking care of ourselves,”_ responded Alice in a gentle but firm tone.

            “I know you are,” agreed Carlisle, reluctant but at the same time realizing there was no point in arguing. “And the other thing?”

            _“You will be receiving visitors in the next two days.”_

            At this declaration the attention of every vampire in the vicinity was on the conversation.  Edward himself was very curious.  Why would Jasper and Alice leave just as they were expecting visitors within the next couple of days?  Unless…

            Unless there was something about these visitors she was trying to hide.  Specifically, something she was trying to hide from Edward.

            “James and Victoria?” asked Carlisle.

            _“No,”_ said Alice with a laugh. _“Much friendlier visitors – visitors like us.”_

“How many?” Carlisle asked.  There was a feeling of excitement among them.  It was so rare that they met vampires like them – it had taken the Cullens and the Denalis centuries to find each other.

            _“Three,”_ said Alice. _“All of them are physically young – below twenty, I suspect.  Two of them are new to this life as well.  There is a girl with amber eyes, around fifteen. Her mate, a boy whose still a newborn – less than a month old, I suspect.  Their leader and creator is with them.  His eyes are warm gold, and you will find he is the most special of the group,”_ there was a sly note in her voice at the last part, piquing the vampires’ curiosity.

            “How is he special?” asked Kate, her interest piqued by the mention of an apparently unattached male.

            _“You will see soon enough,”_ said Alice cryptically.

            “Where will we find them?” asked Carlisle.

            _“By the river, hunting the fighting bears,”_ she answered.

~0 August 15, 2006 0~

            “Do you hear anyone, Edward?” Kate asked impatiently.

            “No, not yet.” Edward said.  He decided not to point out that they would likely see or hear the visitors before he would be able to hear their thoughts.  They stood on a rocky overhang roughly a mile and a half away from the river.  Two boars circled each other, roaring threateningly.  A fight was likely to break out at any moment, just as Alice described.

            They had decided to come in a group of six, Carlisle and Tanya in the lead.  Edward and Eleazar joined them in order to get a read on the newcomers, and Emmett and Kate in case any of them attacked.  Carlisle was worrying that they had come in too large a group, but Edward thought that it was better they be prepared.

            Kate, who was the farthest forward, perked up just before the sound reached Edward’s ears.  There were three pairs of feet running rapidly towards the river, where the two boar were now engaged in a full fight.  One of the pairs crashed through the forest, making no attempt at stealth.  The other two were quieter, one more rapid and gentle and the other a mere whisper over the ground.

            They stared intently at the tree line, waiting for the first to appear.  The first shape to burst into the open – the one who had been exceptionally loud – was male and clearly the newborn.  His face was twisted in a feral snarl and his bright red eyes were locked hungrily on the fighting grizzlies.  His head was topped by a mass of dark, curly hair.

            The second one was female, barely taller than Alice.  She emerged a dozen yards to the left of the first, her amber eyes watching the other male carefully.  Her pale face was framed by chin-length dark hair.

            The third one emerged a moment later on the right to the first.  He moved more gracefully than the other two, even the female.  In fact, he was unusually graceful, even for a vampire; his movements smooth and liquid.  He had cropped chocolate-brown hair, and had watchful eyes, golden just as Alice said.

            The first male, the newborn, barreled into the fight.  He easily knocked over the first bear, the two of them thrashing in the river.  The second bear backed away in surprise, bellowing threateningly as the other bear’s thrashing rapidly weakened.  The male disengaged from his prey once he drained it dry, immediately turning on the other bear, which was turning to run.  With a snarl and a leap, the newborn brought it down.

            Through this, his companions watch from a safe distance.  Edward noticed the second male lift his nose, sniffing the air.  Edward wasn’t close enough to hear his mind, but guessed he was either searching for humans or other prey.  For a moment he wondered if the male had smelled them, but dismissed it.  They were too far away to be detected that way, but if the male cared to look around, he’d surely be able to see them.

And see them he did.  The man’s eyes locked on them and immediately he was in a crouch, lip curled warningly.  The female followed his gaze and immediately was at his side.  The newborn, having drained the second bear, joined them.  Slowly, they started to back towards the trees.

            Carlisle stepped forward and held his hands up in a placating gesture. “We only wish to talk,” he said in a voice that was barely louder than normal speaking volume.

            The two younger ones continued to back up but the leader paused.  He scrutinized them for a moment before his eyes suddenly grew wide, having clearly found their eyes.  He stared for a long second before reluctantly shifting into an upright posture.  The two young ones hesitated for a second before following his lead.

            The six vampires leapt off of the overhang and began to run towards the guests.  They ran for half a mile before Edward suddenly froze.  The others noticed immediately and stopped as well.

            “What is it, Edward?” asked Eleazar.

            “I can’t hear them,” said Edward.

            The other vampires understood what Edward meant immediately.  Their expressions now ranged from confusion to unease.

            _Can you still hear us?_ Thought Eleazar.

            “Yes,” answered Edward. “But I can’t hear them – it’s as if they aren’t there.”

            “But they are,” said Tanya, glancing at the other vampires. “I can still see them through the trees.  Are you sure you’re close enough?”

            “I should be able to hear them by now,” said Edward.

            “Well there’s no use standing here,” said Emmett impatiently.

            “Emmett’s right,” said Kate.

            After deliberating for a moment, the vampires once again started towards the visitors, though this time more cautiously.  Edward’s sense of unease grew as they moved closer to the other vampires.  Edward never thought about how much he relied on his gift.  In fact, he usually thought about it as an annoyance, having to know everyone’s secrets.  It startled him how the absence of the other vampires’ minds unnerved him.

            As they entered the clearing, across the river from the trio, Edward heard a surprised thought from Eleazar.

            _A shield._

            Edward caught his eye and gave him a questioning look.

            _One of them is blocking us.  I can’t get any specifics on the shield or tell which one of them it is for sure – although the smart guess is the older male._

            Just then Carlisle and Tanya stepped forward, both attempting to look as unthreatening as possible.  Although all three of them were standing straight, their eyes were still cautious.

            “My name is Carlisle, and this is Tanya,” said Carlisle. “This is some of our family, Emmett and Edward, and Eleazar and Kate.  I believe we have something in common,”

            The male looked at Carlisle and Tanya calculatingly.  Edward took the time to look him over.  His face was surprisingly expressive and Edward noted that he was easily the best looking of the trio.  He was wearing a long-sleeved white polo shirt and faded, ripped jeans. The clothes were frayed from wear and he was barefoot, with bits of forest debris visible in his clothes and hair.

            The other two were in similar condition, barefoot and sprinkled with debris.  The girl was wearing an aviator jacket and dark jeans that were slightly too large.  Her amber eyes flicked around, focusing on each one of them in turn.  The newborn male had an olive complexion and bright red eyes that darted around just like the female, but kept inexplicably returning to Emmett’s humongous form.  He was wearing a dark letterman jacket and his faded jeans, both of which were now bloody and ripped, as well as sopping wet.

            “I believe we do,” the male agreed after a long pause in a smooth, warm voice. “My name is Beau.  This is Bree and Diego,” he said, gesturing two each of the other two vampires in turn. “We are sorry if we’ve encroached on your hunting grounds.”

            “It is really no bother,” said Tanya warmly. “It is rare that we meet other vampires like ourselves, and we’d welcome the chance to get to know you.  Why don’t you come back to our home and we can speak comfortably?”

            The two younger vampires’ shared a glance at the invitation.  The male – Beau – looked them over critically. “You said that this is ‘some’ of your family,” he said in a measured voice. “May I ask just how many of you there are?”

            “At the moment, twelve,” Tanya replied.  Beau’s eyes popped, surprised. “We’re not all permanent residents,” she explained quickly. “The Cullens –“ she gestured to Carlisle, Edward, and Emmett “ – are only visiting for the summer.  We consider each other extended family.”

            “That sounds… very interesting,” Beau said. “And we will accept your offer.  It has been a while since we’ve had a chance to freshen up,” he added.

            Tanya smiled. “Good, then you can follow us back.  Consider our home your home.”


	3. Skip the Niceties

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry! I got writers block and then I ended up kind of forgetting about this fic. Also, sorry if it's a little short. Other than that, I'm happy with this.

            “You have a very beautiful home,” said Beau evenly as the house came into sight.

            “Thank you,” said Tanya and Kate.  Both of them were standing closer to Beau than strictly necessary.  Edward thought that the man looked either smug or amused, although Edward could not be sure.

            That bothered him more than he would like to admit.

            Throughout the trip back to the house, Edward had found his focus repeatedly returning to Beau with an intensity he was sure the other was aware of.  More than once, the other vampire would swivel his head around to lock eyes with Edward.  Edward held the other’s stare, unwilling to show any embarrassment.  Beau would look away after a moment, but Edward noticed an upturn in his lips that was definitely a little smug.

            _He knows what he’s doing._

            The two younger vampires did not appear to be pleased at Kate and Tanya’s closeness to their leader.  Although Beau’s shield prevented Edward from reading their minds, Bree and Diego’s thoughts were written plainly across their faces.  Edward did not think it was smart of Kate and Tanya to turn their backs on the boy, especially considering there was no telling how much the shield protected against.  If the newborn attacked and Kate’s shock was rendered useless, there was no way to predict how much damage he could inflict before they could drag him off.

            They finally emerged into view of the house within minutes.  Rosalie, Esme, Carmen, Irina and Laurent stood waiting in front, having clearly already heard their approach.  Their gazes immediately locked upon the three strangers, expressions varying from welcoming (Esme, Carmen) to cautious (Laurent and Irina) to suspicious (Rosalie).

            “Welcome, travelers,” Carmen said, her arms held wide in a welcoming gestures.

            “Carmen, this is Beau, Bree, and Diego,” Carlisle introduced them.

            “It is very nice to meet you, Carmen.” Beau once again acted as the spokesperson of the trio.  His smile was friendly and charming.

            “You as well,” Carmen smiled. “This is Laurent and Irina.” She gestured to the pair behind her.

            “And I’m Esme, Carlisle’s wife,” the other woman stepped forward. “This is Rosalie.  It is always a pleasure to meet some new faces.” In her mind she focused on Beau’s eyes.

            Beau smiled and nodded at Esme, but when he turned to Rosalie the smile dimmed slightly.  The latter was still studying him with a blank gaze.  Edward nearly rolled his eyes at the paranoid examination she was giving him and her passing disapproval of their appearances.

            “I assume you will want to use the showers?” she said as a greeting.  The two newborns frowned at the thinly veiled insult.

            _Ice queen_ , Kate thought loudly.  Edward repressed a smile.

            Beau’s pleasant expression did not shift. “If you could be so kind.  We have not been near civilization for some months, and welcome the chance to clean ourselves.”

            “Of course!” Carmen waved them forward. “If you would like, I can show you to the baths.”

            She disappeared into the house and, after a fraction of a second of hesitance, the visitors followed.  Edward briefly listened into their conversation, the only highlight of which was Beau asking Diego if he needed any help with the nozzles, which went unanswered.

            _Hopefully we won’t have to make too many repairs when they leave_ , Emmett thought to himself.

            Tanya whirled on Rosalie, frustrated. “Do you really need to be so rude to them?  Maybe you could at least try to make a good impression?”

            “Why do I care what they think?” Rosalie countered.

            “For all we know, they could end up being family,” Kate reminded her.

            “Don’t tell me you’re already planning to seduce poor Beau?” Emmett said loudly.

            A mixture of anger and embarrassment flowed over Kate.  Edward could understand; even though Kate’s flirting had been even less subtle than Tanya’s, it was still rude of Emmett.  After all, Beau could likely hear what they were saying.  And Diego and Bree, too.

            “How about an arm-wrestling match, Emmett?” Kate asked, tone deceptively light.  In her mind she was imagining Emmett grimacing and crumpling to the ground.

            “There is no need to argue,” Carlisle said, playing peacemaker.

            The two stopped arguing, although Kate was still on the edge of dropping into a crouch.  Edward caught her eye and shook his head minutely.  Kate responded with a challenging look.

            _Telling me not to do it only makes me want to do it more_ , she thought at him.

            “Let’s go inside, shall we?  Edward, why don’t you get some of your clothes for Beau and Diego to borrow?” Esme said quickly.

            “Of course,” Edward said, foregoing the confrontation.   
            He passed the two of the bathrooms where he could hear the showers running and passed Carmen on her way from Alice’s room with a bundle of clothes.  He dug through his own clothes, picking out a pair of jeans and t-shirts for both males.  He contemplates giving them socks, but eventually decided against it.

            He stopped outside of the first bathroom, which he knew to contain Diego.  The appliances in this particular bathroom were a bit more durable.

            “I brought some clothes for you,” he said through the door. “I’ll just leave them outside the door.” When he received no other response beyond a grunt he moved onto Beau.  This time when he left the clothes outside, there was a response.

            “Thank you, mind reader.”

            Edward froze a few steps from the door.  The teasing words echoing in his head.  How did he know?  The words were so soft, the others in the house may have actually missed them if they weren’t paying attention.  Enraptured by curiosity, he just managed to drag himself away instead of interrogating the vampire through the door.

            It wasn’t until he was downstairs that he realized that he still could not hear the minds of any of the nomads.  They were on near-opposite ends of the house, which was a fairly decent size.  As far as Edward knew, most shields did not project more than a few meters.  Edward could not help but admire his power.

            The showers all lasted for uniformly ten minutes.  There was a shuffling and sound of fabric sliding over skin as they pulled the borrowed clothes on.  Edward thought that he heard Bree stroke a finger along the fabric.  The clothes would not be any more or any less comfortable for them than their other clothes, but Edward wondered how long it had been since they had worn anything clean.

            Beau walked down the stairs, hair wet and appearing very serene (Kate and Tanya both nearly swooned).  Bree and Diego kept close behind him, both still cautious.

            “Thank you for that,” Beau said.  Then, to Edward’s immense surprise, the boy stood right in front of Edward. “So, mind reader, I’m sure you have questions.”

            There was general surprise, confirming that they had not heard Beau’s soft words in the shower.  Edward looked into the golden eyes, which shone with mirth.

            “And you’ll answer them, just like that?” Edward responded, skeptical.

            His smile widened, showing a flash of teeth. “I didn’t say that I would answer.  I just thought I could let you have a brief interrogation rather than you try to subtly pry the answers from me – I gather you have a high standard for propriety.  And maybe, afterwards, I can have some questions of my own.”

            “How did you now I could read minds?” Edward asked.

            Beau smiled in what may have been approval. “My gift, as you may call it, is to block the gifts of others – or, more specifically, those involving the mind.  However, my gift also allows me to feel the gifts of others.  Each gift has a unique feel.  Gifts that try to influence me are more obvious, such as a jab or flutter, or a taste, usually similar to medicine.  Gifts such as yours, however, and his, “ his eyes briefly flickered briefly to Eleazar, “gifts that are not meant to influence, but to gather information, take on a more subtle tone.  Most readers feel like nothing but a soft breeze.”

            “What do you mean _most_ mind readers?” Edward asked, catching onto the wording.

            He did not seem at all nonplussed. Maybe a little pleased. “By _most_ , I mean that you, sir, are easily the most powerful mind reader I’ve had the pleasure of meeting.  I assume that you can read every mind within a certain distance?  Probably without effort?” Edward nodded, surprised. “Well, whenever I felt your gift, it wasn’t so much a breeze as a rise in air pressure.  Quite spectacular, if I do say so myself.”

            “How far can you project?” Eleazar asked this time, when it was clear Beau had finished his explanation.

            Beau pursed his lips in thought for a split moment. “Roughly the size of a football field,” he said eventually.

            Eleazar’s eyes widened. “Amazing,” he breathed.

            “I’ll just take that as a compliment,” Beau smirked. He turned back to Edward. “Any other questions?”

            “What made you turn to animal blood?” Edward said without missing a beat.  He could sense Carlisle and Esme mentally reproaching him for being so forward, but had Beau not given him permission?

            “I lived as a traditional vampire for my first fifteen years,” he said, “eventually, though, I found myself disillusioned with the entire thing.  All the humans I fed upon, I either felt that they did not deserve to die, or I found them so vile that I found the idea of any part of them inside me revolting.”

            Edward heard Rosalie’s suspicion gain a grudging edge of commiseration.  She remembered her own similar reasons for being so determined to resist the blood of her ex-fiancé and his friends who had assaulted her.

             “How old are you?” Edward asked next.

            He smiled. “Eighteen.”

            “How long have you been eighteen?”

            “Long enough.”

            Realizing that he wasn’t going to get a straighter answer, he moved onto a different line. “Where were you born?”

            “San Francisco.”

            Although he felt he might be on the edge of the line, Edward decided to ask his next question anyway. “Why have you not removed your shield from Bree or Diego since you’ve arrived.”

            He didn’t answer immediately, but his expression was highly amused.  He looked like an adult dealing with a child who was trying to convince them to give them something they already knew they were not going to give.

            “Everybody has a right to privacy, don’t they?” he said simply.

            Emmett snorted.


	4. Foil

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry about the long spaces between updates. Also this is also probably going to be a shortish story (10-12 chapters max). 
> 
> As always, thanks for reading!

            Edward was in a strange and confusing type of Hell.

            A week later, the three strangers continued to stay in the area.  Tanya and Kate had convinced them to stay, reasoning that they could assist Beau in minding Diego. 

            “It is _so_ difficult controlling even one newborn, never mind two.”

            The young vampires had appeared mildly offended at this, but Beau had agreed easily to this flimsy excuse with an amused smile.

            What ended up happening was that, in between frequent hunting trips for the newborn, Kate and Tanya flirted shamelessly with his creator.  Irina abstained, confident in her relationship with Laurent (Edward did not have the heart to tell her that she was a leap and a bound ahead of the other male in terms of attachment).  The third sister even had the gall to show fond amusement for her sisters’ antics, even though before Laurent she would have been right alongside them.

            Beau took it all in stride, even rewarding their efforts with flirting of his own.  Edward was, of course, glad that Tanya had a new focus for her attentions, especially someone who at least playfully returned them.

            The Hell part of the equation was the way Beau loved to torture him.  The male would make cryptic comments and allusions and provided scant information about himself.  Edward had always claimed that invading another person’s privacy was never his intention, and yet he frequently found himself staring at the other male, effectively trying to bore a hole into his head.  Edward now realized that Beau liked to be chased, whether it be Kate and Tanya’s romantic chase or Edward’s curiosity.  He was also a sadistic tease, taunting Edward with information and Kate and Tanya with flirtatious comments.

            “Do I have something on my face, Edward?”

            He did not, and he very well knew that.  Edward did not like the way Beau said his name; did not like the way it rolled off of Beau’s tongue and made a strange feeling course through Edward’s body.

            “No,” Edward said, not even bothering trying to invent an excuse.

            There is a small giggle twenty feet away and Edward looks over to where Bree and Diego are standing together on the porch steps.  Her hand is already over her mouth, stifling any further sounds.  That doesn’t stop Edward from seeing the amused and knowing look on the young girl’s face.  Diego is only giving the situation the barest of attention, his eyes flicking everywhere, trying to take in everything.

            Oh, to be a newborn.

            Back to his original problem, the amusement appears to be spreading further.  Kate and Tanya are now giggling now and Emmett is guffawing in the house.  Even Rosalie is amused and Edward can see her grin in Emmett’s mind’s eye.  Carlisle and Esme’s amusement is more fond as is Carmen and Eleazar’s.  Edward is usually okay with his family’s light teasing but Beau’s taunting rubs Edward the wrong way.

            Beau noticed this.

            “Don’t be so petty, Edward – you had to find yourself on equal footing with somebody sometime.”

            “I am not petty,” Edward retorted.  The second the words left his mouth he regretted them.

            A distinctly predatory grin graced Beau’s handsome face, like a wolf whose prey just walked into its trap.

            “I am sure you’re not,” he said silkily. “Being petty is beneath you, right?” He stalked nearer to Edward and began to circle him.  Although the instincts that Edward worked so hard to repress outside of the hunt told him to slip into a crouch and watch the other male’s every move, Edward refused to give in to his game, standing straight and keeping his stare pointedly straight ahead.

            “It is a rather childish trait,” Edward said to the figure behind him.  He carefully tracked the other’s footsteps with his hearing.

            “Well, you are frozen as a teenager, are you not?”

            “You are only a year older than me.  You are in no way my superior.” Edward realized how childish he sounded the second the words passed his lips.

            “And yet I make you nervous,” Beau whispered from his right side, only inches from his ear.

            Edward tensed. “You do not make me nervous,” he whispered back, even as his frozen form belied his statement.

            “Really?” Beau said, amused. At this point they were speaking so quietly that the vampires in the house could no longer hear them, and the vampires outside were straining to catch the conversation.   “That would make you a very great man indeed.  For someone who is used to knowing the thoughts of all of the people around him – all their motives, their intent – suddenly having someone around who they must trust on his word alone must be a trying experience.  To have a gift that you, even if unknowingly, rely so much upon rendered useless?  I know that to meet my antithesis, my foil, would make me very nervous.”

            “I suppose that’s just you,” Edward said.  Suddenly, he felt a gust of sweet-smelling breath against his ear.

            “I guess you could say so.  I’m not a mind reader, after all.” And then something happened.

            Instead of pulling his head away, he swung it to the side so that his lips brushed, ever-so-lightly, across Edward’s cheekbone.  Edward gasped sharply and suddenly Beau was ten feet away.

            “Would you like to hunt, Diego?” Beau asked.  The turnaround was so sudden that Edward was left dumbfounded.

            “Yes, I would,” Diego said eagerly, his musical voice belying his still-feral demeanor.  Without pause he darted across the yard and past Beau towards the forest.  The little girl, Bree, followed him with a grin.

            “I cannot wait to talk later, Edward,” Beau said before he bounded after them with a graceful lope.

~0oo0~

            Several hours later, there was the sound of footsteps running rapidly up the slope towards the house.  What called their full attention was the amount of feet.

            _One, two… three, four… five, six… seven, eight, nine, ten._

            Ten?  Edward listened intently but could not pick up the thoughts from the two extras.  Silence.  So Beau was shielding them too.  Why?

            “Alice and Jasper,” breathed Esme, relief clear in her voice.

            Edward could have kicked himself.  Now that he was not focused on trying to pick up thoughts from the extra pairs, he could distinguish the distinct light step of Alice and the prowl of Jasper.  But it did raise the question; why was Beau shielding them?  He made no effort to shield anyone else in the house, other than Bree and Diego.

            Edward followed his family outside of the house to greet the group, just as they burst into sight.  Alice was running to the right of Beau, closer than strictly necessary, Jasper a more respectful distance away.  Bree and Diego were on Beau’s left, farther apart from the group than was necessary – far away from Jasper, more like.  Edward could understand; Jasper was an intimidating sight.

            “Alice! Jasper! Where have you been?” Esme said in a light scolding tone, leaping forward to greet them.

            “Just waiting for a moment to talk to our guests alone,” Alice chirped.

            Edward looked upon said guests and immediately noticed something was wrong.  Beau’s mouth was set in a grim line, and he seemed to be looking at something only he could see.  One glance at Bree and Diego showed that they were in a similar mood.  Edward tried to catch Beau’s eye, but he was avoiding making eye contact with everyone, staring forward at nothing.  Edward tried to catch Jasper’s eye, but the other man looked as serene as ever, and with Beau’s shield Edward had no way of knowing what he was really thinking.

            Edward looked at Beau again and this time found the other male looking at him.  The man’s face was not the usual teasing expression he usually wore when looking at Edward, but neither was it as grim as it was when he was looking at nothing.  Instead his stare was contemplative, and something that was entirely unreadable.

            Beau broke their eye contact and weaved through the other vampires and into the house.  Bree and Diego, instead of following him as they usually did, disappeared around the side and into the shadows.  Before Beau disappeared from sight, he gives Alice and Jasper an indefinable look.  Edward caught Alice’s eye, wordlessly asking for an explanation.  All he received in reply was a cryptic smile and a single mouthed promise.

            _Later._


	5. Little Witch

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the shorter chapter. I figured a smaller update was better than no update at all (and God knows it's taken me long enough). And also...

            Edward was beginning to understand why some of the family found Alice’s cryptic comments annoying.

            It was no fun being on the outside looking in.  It was very clear that the newcomers and Alice and Jasper knew something everybody else didn’t, and Edward had no idea what it was.

            Beau’s attitude had undergone quite the radical shift.  He did not tease Edward at all, and he seemed… anxious.  He was frequently frozen in place, and had a set to his mouth that was distinctly displeased.  Edward knew that the change had something to do with Alice and Jasper, and Edward wondered what future she could have possibly told him that would affect his mood so profoundly.  It was a full day before he realized what the real problem was.

            Edward and Tanya were sitting across from each other in the backroom engaged in a game of chess.  They were a bit more evenly matched, since Edward could not read Tanya’s strategy from her mind, but he was still more skillful.  Beau watched on, looking more serene than since Alice and Jasper’s arrival.

            The sound of a pair of light, dainty steps, followed by a heavier, prowling pair, approached the front door.  Beau’s stance and features tightened the tiniest bit.  Edward looked at him from the corner of his eye.  When Alice walked into the backroom, Alice gave Beau a bright smile.  He returned it with a curt nod.  Jasper frowned.  Beau’s face began to soften for a second, but then it drained away to be replaced by lips curled in a snarl and narrowed eyes.  A tiny feral growl rumbled in his throat.

            “If you wish for me to keep your secrets, your empath will keep his… _influence_ to himself,” he said dangerously.

            Alice had frowned a second before the words came out of Beau’s mouth.  Only the slight curve of his lip betrayed Jasper’s anger.  Alice put a staying hand on his arm, and the two took their leave.

            Tanya and Edward looked between Beau and the vague direction of Alice and Jasper in shock.

            “What was that about?” Tanya asked cautiously.

            “My privacy and control over my own emotions are of high importance to me,” he said simply.

            Edward understood, he thought.  In their family, most of them have gotten used to there being no secrets between them. Between a mind-reader, a psychic, and an empath, there was no privacy for anyone.  And then, something Beau had said earlier came to the forefront of his mind:

            _“To have a gift that you, even if unknowingly, rely so much upon rendered useless?  I know that to meet my antithesis, my foil, would make me very nervous.”_

            Alice and Jasper were his foil, Edward realized.  Edward was so used to Jasper and Alice being able to see everyone’s future and read and manipulate everyone’s emotions, respectively, that he did not notice that Beau’s gift wasn’t defending him like it should be.  Edward very nearly smiled, but then felt guilty.  After all, Beau was clearly very uncomfortable.

            Then again, he had spent a good deal of his time here tormenting Edward.

            Beau’s tension did not leave, even after Edward had beat a sore Tanya.  He disappeared out of the room and Edward, after a moment’s hesitation, followed him.

            He followed Beau in the direction of the nearest town, which was roughly a half-hour run.  Nobody bothered to follow them.  Edward was faster than Beau, and was easily able to keep pace until they were roughly twenty-five miles away from the house when Beau finally stopped and allowed Edward to approach.

            “Why are you following me?” he snarled.

            Edward was stopped short.  He had not bothered to come up with a reason, but had just followed the other vampire on a whim.

            “You promised Alice that you wouldn’t let me listen to her mind.  You are too far away to shield her now,” Edward said, feeling quite proud of himself.

            Beau arched one of his brows. “Okay, I believe you.” He clearly didn’t.  Edward did not need to be able to read his mind to know that much.

            “Alice and Jasper can affect you,” he said.

            Beau’s lip curled. “Come to gloat?” he snarled.

            “No!” Edward insisted immediately.  He hadn’t felt this wrong-footed in nearly a century.

            “Then why did you follow me?”

            “Because I find you interesting.”

            “You’re interested in the novelty of my opposition,” Beau said blandly.

            Edward sighed. “Everyone enjoys a mystery,” he said. He barrels on when Beau’s lip curled further.

            “You’re right, I’m used to knowing.  I’m used to knowing the answers to the questions I ask before or even whether or not they answer them.  I’m used to knowing what others think of me – “

            “I think you’re pushy, arrogant, and a little pompous,” Beau interrupted.

            Edward couldn’t help it.  He laughed.  It’s loud and more exuberant than he usually ever allowed.  When he looked back Beau’s lip had uncurled and the corners of his mouth were upturned ever so slightly.

            “You don’t like Alice and Jasper,” Edward surmised.

            Beau shrugged. “I don’t know if I genuinely dislike them.  Alice is basically you but in a smaller, irrepressibly cheerful package.  She could also – and probably is – watching this conversation right now.  I don’t like that.  I don’t like that Jasper is able to read my mood.  I don’t like people being able to mess with me, or be privy to my private thoughts without my permission.”

            “I’m sorry,” Edward said.

            “It’s not your fault.  It’s not really their fault either,” he admitted with clear reluctance. “That doesn’t mean I have to like it though.”

            “No, it doesn’t,” said Edward. “Does that mean you’ll leave?”

            Beau smiled, and Edward couldn’t help but think it was a little condescending.

            “Not quite.  I did promise the little witch that I would protect her head.  I’m curious to see whether her prediction comes to fruition or not.”

            “You know what the her prediction was?”

            “I never would have agreed to help her without knowing, although she did try to get me to,” Beau said. “I should probably let you know that it wasn’t anything harmful.  At least, It very likely shouldn’t be even though I think she may have gotten some of the aspects wrong.”

            “You won’t tell me what it is?” Edward inferred.

            “That would sort of defeat the purpose of guarding her, now wouldn’t it?”

            They stood there in a silent stand-off.  Without Alice and Jasper around, Beau’s confidence had returned somewhat.  Then his face shuttered and his lip curled ever so slightly.

            “Speaking of the good witch,” he muttered.

            Edward did not answer him, because he had heard the light footsteps as well.  Edward could not help but feel cross with Alice.  He didn’t know why.  It wasn’t like there was much to interrupt.  All the same Edward was scowling in Alice’s direction when she arrived, although that quickly evaporated when he saw her.

            Her eyes were wide and worried.  Her lip was curled and her eyes were flicking every which way.  In short, she looked like a hunted animal.

            “Alice, what’s wrong?” Edward demanded, put off that he had to ask.  He couldn’t help casting a frustrated look at Beau, who was halfway into a defensive crouch.  When he caught Edward’s glower, he raised an unimpressed eyebrow.

            “You two need to return to the house, now,” Alice hissed.

            Beau’s lip curled and he looked around frantically “Is something coming?” he snarled.

            “Not immediately,” said Alice.  Edward was pleased to see that she looked frustrated herself. “I’ll explain it to you at the house.  Now let’s _go!_ ”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...sorry for the cliffhanger


End file.
